Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Health Care
Durbin Continues To Push For Increased Medical Research Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today thanked Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for his leadership in working with Congress to secure increased funding for medical research over the past four years. Durbin has worked with Dr. Collins-as well as Labor-HHS Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)-to help provide the NIH with at least five percent real growth each year, … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Durbin Questions Jefferey Rosen, President Trump's Deputy AG Nominee
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned President Donald Trump's nominee to be Deputy U.S. Attorney General, Jeffrey Rosen - who has no prior Department of Justice (DOJ) experience - about his views on the opioid epidemic and criminal justice reform. Mr. Rosen showed a limited understanding of the DOJ's responsibility when it comes to the production of 13 billion opioid doses a year in America - enough to give … Continue Reading
April 08, 2019
Durbin & Senators To Juul: You Are More Interested In Profits Than Public Health
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 10 of his Senate Democratic colleagues, today launched an investigation into JUUL Labs, Inc. by sending a letter to CEO Kevin Burns slamming the company for its partnership with Big Tobacco giant Altria, and questioning its marketing tactics to hook children on nicotine with kid-appealing flavors. The Senators posed an extensive series of questions and made requests for documents pertaining to JUUL's secret business practices around … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Durbin Highlights Legislation To Address High Cost Of Child Care For Working Families
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a roundtable discussion with child care providers, parents, and local leaders to discuss the high cost of child care for working families. Durbin has co-sponsored several bills aimed at helping Illinois families manage the increasing costs associated with raising a child. "High-quality, affordable and reliable child care is a necessity for Illinois' working families," Durbin said. "That's why I'm proud to support legislation that … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
Durbin Hosts Illinois Members & CDC Director For Delegation Luncheon
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield at an Illinois Congressional Delegation Luncheon to discuss public health issues in Illinois. The group discussed ethylene oxide emissions from medical device sterilization facilities in DuPage and Lake Counties, and veterans' safety at Illinois Veterans Homes. Started by the late U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon, the … Continue Reading
April 03, 2019
Durbin, Kaine Introduce Bill To Support Family Caregivers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Supporting America's Caregivers and Families Act, a bill that would increase funding, training, and support for the more than 34 million family caregivers in America. Each year caregivers provide more than $470 billion worth of unpaid care-more than the entire federal Medicaid budget. The average caregiver spends $7,000 of their own money every year to provide care to loved ones, with an average … Continue Reading
April 03, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Democratic Caucus to Save Health Care For Millions Of Americans & Those With Pre-Existing Conditions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined all 47 Senate Democrats to introduce a Senate resolution-led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)-that would reverse the Department of Justice's (DOJ) recent decision to side with U.S. District Court Judge Reed O'Connor's ruling that deems health care protections enjoyed by hundreds of millions unconstitutional. This latest act of health care sabotage from the Trump Administration could result in 133 million … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Reintroduce Medicare-X To Provide Low-Cost, High-Quality Insurance To Every American
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today to reintroduce legislation to create Medicare-X, a public health care plan that would offer families, individuals, and small businesses additional, low-cost health insurance choices and create more competition in the marketplace. The Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019 would further lower premiums and increase coverage for consumers and those in the individual market who opted into the … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Durbin, Kelly, Duckworth Introduce MOMMA Act To Reduce Matenal And Infant Mortality Rates
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL02) today introduced the bicameral Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMA) Act. The legislation seeks to reduce America's rising maternal and infant mortality rate, especially for moms and babies of color who are significantly more likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy. On average, maternal mortality claims the lives of 700 American moms each … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $5 Million In Federal Funding To Help Improve Infant Health Outcomes And Reduce Racial Disparities In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded five organizations in Illinois a total of $4,990,000 in federal funding to help reduce racial disparities in infant health. Today's funding, awarded through HHS's Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health program, will seek to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, and reduce racial and … Continue Reading
March 14, 2019
Durbin: Pharma Fleece From Drug Vial Waste Must End
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor, as part of his new "Pharma Fleece Awards" series of floor speeches highlighting egregious cases of pharmaceutical greed, slammed Takeda, Eisai, Merck, and Genentech, four pharmaceutical companies that sell cancer drugs in excessively large vials that contain dramatically more medicine than the average patient needs. As a result of these pharmaceutical industry decisions, billions of dollars are spent each year on … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth, Talks Legionnaires' At Illinois Veterans' Homes & Ethylene Oxide Emissions With New Illinois Directors Of Veterans' Affairs & Public Health
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today discussed both Legionnaires' disease at Illinois Veterans' Homes (IVH) and ethylene oxide emissions from medical device sterilization facilities in Illinois with Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director Linda Chapa LaVia and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. This was the Senators' first call with the newly appointed directors under Governor J.B. Pritzker's … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Durbin: President Trump's Budget Request Asks Congress To Choose - Border Wall Or Medical Research
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump submitted his fiscal year 2020 budget request to Congress: "After a disastrous 35 day government shutdown, and with the Senate slated to reject his national emergency declaration this week, the fact that President Trump would request $8.6 billion for his beloved border wall - while cutting $5 billion in medical research … Continue Reading
March 11, 2019
Durbin Works with Chicago Public Schools to Ensure Access to Life-Saving EpiPens
CHICAGO - In the midst of nationwide shortages of EpiPens, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to discuss his recent role in ensuring that CPS obtained a much-needed new supply of the life-saving medication. CPS had a supply of 1,200 EpiPens that were expiring on February 28, but due to drug shortages, schools were told the EpiPens would not be replaced in a timely manner. After Senator Durbin's office-working with CPS-engaged directly and repeatedly with … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Following FDA Warning, Durbin Meets With Walgreens To Urge Pharmacy To Stop Selling Tobacco Products
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Walgreens Co-Chief Operating Officer Alex Gourlay to discuss tobacco sales to minors at their stores, and urge Walgreens to stop selling tobacco products. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that some of our nation's largest health pharmacies have been illegally selling tobacco products to minors. Walgreens was the top violator among pharmacies that sell tobacco products, with 22 percent of Walgreens stores … Continue Reading
March 05, 2019
Durbin On Eli Lilly Insulin Pricing Scheme: I Won't Be Sending Any Flowers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor slammed Eli Lilly - a pharmaceutical company that manufactures insulin - following an announcement that it would be selling a less expensive, "generic" version of its rapid-acting insulin, Humalog. Humalog was introduced in 1996 and cost $21, but today that same vial now can cost as much as $329. Eli Lilly announced it would lower the price to $140 in the United States for some patients, while in Canada a patient can still … Continue Reading
March 05, 2019
Durbin, Murkowski, Degette, Raskin Introduce Bill To Restrict Kid-Friendly Flavors In E-Cigarettes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), along with U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO-01) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to crack down on kid-friendly flavorings in highly-addictive e-cigarettes and cigars. The Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids (SAFE Kids) Act will place strong restrictions on e-cigarette flavorings and ban cigar flavorings altogether. "Ask any teacher, parent, or public … Continue Reading
March 04, 2019
Durbin Statement On Announcement By Eli Lilly To Sell Lower Cost, Generic Insulin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Eli Lilly announced it would be selling a less expensive, generic version of its rapid-acting insulin, Humalog. Humalog was introduced in 1996 and cost $21, but today that same vial now costs $329. "Humalog can cost as little as $38 in Canada and yet Americans are charged up to $329. Now Eli Lilly is lowering the price in the U.S. for selected customers to $140. Charging Americans four … Continue Reading
March 04, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Lipinski, Schneider, Casten Press ATSDR For Updated Health Report For Willowbrook
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today requested that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conduct another site-specific Health Consultation for Willowbrook, Illinois, based on the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ethylene oxide (EtO) ambient air measurements from November 2018 - … Continue Reading
March 01, 2019
Durbin, Cramer, Cassidy, Smith To FDA: Price Of Insulin Is Unacceptable
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) today urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up approvals of lower-cost, generic insulin products in order to help lower costs of the life-saving drug for 7.5 million Americans with diabetes who rely on insulin to survive. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, the Senators called for the agency to amend recently issued guidance that poses unreasonable … Continue Reading